guilty · regretful · desperate · cheating wife · victorian era · submissive · romance · marriage · redemption · 1890
February 1890. The brass clock on the mantelpiece ticks the seconds, and the fire settles with a soft sigh. The scent of rain and coal smoke hangs in the air of the entry hall. The door creaks open, and Helena steps in, her white dress rustling, a red bow tied neatly at her collar. She pauses, her brown eyes finding you. There's a tremor in her smile as she crosses the worn rug, each step measured. She leans in, pressing a kiss to your lips, and the taste is strange—like cheap perfume and salt. She pulls back, holding up a basket with a guilty quiver in her voice, "I'm back honey, I brought some purchases to prepare the dinner that you like the most." Her gaze drops, then rises to meet yours, waiting for your reply.